Until it Fades Away
by MandaPanda2
Summary: The beginning of the end. (Part III of the "Undisclosed Desires" series)
1. When Olivia was Twenty

Disclaimer: All characters (unless otherwise specified) belong to Aaron Spelling, E. Duke Vincent, Gary Tomlin, NBC, et al and are used here strictly for non-profit entertainment purposes.  
>Rating: PG14<br>Genre: Drama / Romance (with a sprinkle of Angst)  
>Spoilers: Everything up to and including the elevator scene.<br>Summary: The beginning of the end. (Part III of the "Undisclosed Desires" series.)

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><p><em>Sea will rise, mountains fall<br>The earth will turn itself upside down  
>But we have seen it all before<br>We will always be around_  
>- From "Fade Away (The Time &amp; Space Machine Mix)" by The Mummers<p>

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><p>Gregory strode purposefully down the hall, barely breaking his stride as he passed one of the chambermaids. She jumped from his path, quietly staring after him as he reached one of the suites at the end. He knocked firmly on the door, waiting for the familiar click of the lock. His cell phone went off, chirping incessantly until he flipped it open. Annie. He smirked, ignoring the call as he turned the ringer to silent. He was in no mood for interruptions, certainly not from her.<p>

After several moments, he heard the locks giving way and the door opened. Olivia's eyes widened as she leaned against the door, watching him. "What are you doing here?" she asked softly.

He shrugged, holding up a paper bag. "Brought you breakfast."

Her brow arched as she regarded him suspiciously, the rich aroma of the coffee reaching her. "Oh…I have already have plans," she confessed reluctantly, watching as he opened the bag.

"French Vanilla latte," he said, holding out the paper cup to her as he ignored her last statement. "An orange blossom muffin. Your favorites."

She stepped back, opening the door wider as she reached for coffee. "Thank you," she said, holding it to her nose and smiling as she inhaled. "Come in."

He grinned, following her in as she took a tentative sip. Her hair was immaculate, the flush in her neck suggesting that she had just spent an obscene amount of time blow drying the brunette waves straight. But her face was bare of makeup, shining with a just washed glow. He resisted the urge to reach out and touch her, instead following the curve of her neck to the strand of pearls encircling it. The black pearls were an odd counterpoint to the virginal white robe, the silk lapels slipping open to reveal the swell of her breasts. "What are your plans?" he asked instead, his voice low as he watched her.

She shrugged, her expression blank as she nibbled on a piece of the muffin. "Meeting someone for brunch," she said simply.

He nodded, having a good idea who that someone was as he stood across from her. The low coffee table separated them, maybe the last obstacle in their path as he cleared his throat. "Well, don't let me keep you."

Her head tilted, a small smile coming to her lips. "It's fine. I have time." The latte came to her mouth, her lips curling around the plastic rim as she sighed. "You didn't get anything for yourself?"

"I wasn't planning on staying," he replied as he shook his head, waiting for her reaction.

Disappointment flickered in her blue eyes, her face falling before she quickly forced a polite smile. "Of course. You have plans too." He turned away, seemingly glancing around the room as he grinned. She took the opportunity to watch him, the crisp lines of his suit and the starched dress shirt. "Formal plans, by the look of it."

He shrugged. "I had to be in court this morning."

"Then you came here? What was so urgent that it couldn't wait-"

"Wait until tonight?" he asked, finishing her sentence. Olivia nodded, the slight curl at the end of her hair slipping from her shoulder as she set the coffee down. "Nothing in particular. Just a few things."

Her face turned, intrigued as he stepped around her. "Like what?"

He clicked his tongue softly, chastising her. "One thing at a time." He took off his coat, draping it over the armchair. "Got an email from Sean this morning."

"Did you?" She smiled, seeing his expression soften as he nodded. "What did he say?"

He gestured grandly as he sat down. "He loves New York. He still loves his classes. He thinks all of his professors are brilliant. He said maybe he'll see us at Thanksgiving."

She leaned against the arm of the sofa, her knee within his reaching distance. "I miss him," she admitted softly, clasping her hands together. "He left so suddenly."

"Columbia doesn't wait for anyone, not even our son."

She sighed, shaking her head slightly. "He didn't even tell us he applied out-of-state until he needed those forms signed."

He reached out, tracing the peak of her kneecap with his fingertip. "He sounds happy though. Maybe it was for the best."

With a half-smile, she reached for his hand, taking hold of his finger. "Did he tell you he met a girl?"

"I think he may have dedicated a paragraph or two to her several emails ago." They chuckled in unison as their fingers threaded together. "Mentioned I knew her father."

She threw her head back, laughing frivolously. "Is that what you call demolishing the man in court? Sean said Annabelle's father nearly choked on his dinner when he realized you were his father." He shrugged, but the pride was unmistakable in his eyes. "Of all the girls for Sean to meet…"

"Well, if she's anything like her father, Sean's in for a bumpy road ahead."

"He's smitten with her," she sighed, a mischievous sparkle in her eyes. "Someone gave him the idea to send her flowers every day." She glanced around the room, taking in the bouquets of hyacinths on every available surface in the suite. "It lasted for over a week before she confessed that her dorm room was too small to hold all the flowers."

Gregory followed her gaze, a rainbow of flowers around them as he explained, "He asked me to tell him how I impressed you when we first started dating." She looked over slowly, her lips slightly parted. He squeezed her hand, still surprised that Sean turned to him for advice. Him. Of all people. But the distance between them and the one-sided email conversation seemed to open a new window of dialogue for them. "I told him about your birthday, the first one we spent together. But Sean's a bit more low-key than his father," he quickly added when her eyes flashed, "so I don't think he'll be chartering any planes to St. Barts."

She lowered her head, a poor attempt at hiding the smile that lit up her face. He had sent her one lavish bouquet for every day of the week leading up to the big day. But on her birthday, something different arrived. In place of the extravagant arrangement was a long thin box, containing a diamond necklace entwined around the stem of a single rose. "St. Barts…that was a good birthday," she sighed, finally looking up. "I _was_ impressed."

He grinned, a sight few would believe possible. "I was nervous that entire week," he admitted and she cocked her head.

"Nervous? You?"

"I was," he chuckled, toying with her knee through the thin robe. "Bette somehow found out about the trip. I was worried she'd open her mouth and ruin the surprise."

"Ah." She squirmed as he cupped her leg, the ivory silk like second skin as he ran his hand down her calf. "Don't you think you should have told him about how you impress Annie? It's certainly more recent than a twenty-five year old birthday surprise."

Reluctantly, he let her go as he stood slowly. She followed him with her eyes, watching carefully as he turned away. The silence grew between them and she pushed herself up, twisting her hands nervously. He lowered his eyes for the briefest of moments before he turned back to her, watching her intently. "I served Annie with divorce papers this morning." She stilled, saying nothing as he made a show of glancing down at his silver watch. "I've been a single man for almost two hours," he said, almost to himself.

She finally sent him a shaky smile. "You waited two hours before coming over? You must be getting more patient in your old age."

"I knew you wouldn't be awake yet," he said simply, the familiarity sending a shiver down her spine.

"And you thought Annie was?"

He laughed softly, a gentle shrug to show his lack of concern. "I didn't particularly care about waking her."

Olivia arched her eyebrow, clasping her hands together. "Well." She cleared her throat, her pulse spiking as she caught his expression. With a mixture of triumph and the hope he would show no one but her radiating from his eyes, she understood the unspoken message. It was all for her. _I won't be your mistress_, she had declared a short while ago. _Don't make me think there's a chance_, she had begged. They never spoke of that night, but she should have known this moment would come. He had told her as much. _I don't want you as my mistress_, he had admitted. _I want you as my wife_.

Feeling lightheaded, she gripped the top of the armchair and offered a weak, "Congratulations?"

"Thank you." His Cheshire grin flashed like a badge of honor as he continued, "Congratulations are indeed in order." He rocked back on his heels, watching the way her eyes flickered nervously to him. He knew her nerves and the violent extremes they sent her to. That wouldn't do. He needed her calm. Open to the possibility. He cleared his throat and began, "You know, I was thinking about you all morning."

She looked up slowly. "Me? What about?"

He shrugged, casually strolling around the living room, his hands in his pockets. "Trying to remember the first thing you ever said to me."

She bit back a smile as he glanced over his shoulder. "Any luck?"

He sighed, inching closer. "Somewhere between 'Startle me?' and 'The wind blew it shut.'." His hand danced against her cheek as she chuckled softly. "What?" he asked, smiling down at her.

She sidestepped him with a mysterious smile that bewitched him. "You would only remember that."

"That wasn't it?" She shook her head, her eyes turned up over the rim of her coffee. He folded his arms across his chest and thought back to their first meeting in Bette's bedroom. Of all places. "I asked you if I you were alright. If I scared you when the door banged open."

She rolled her eyes slightly, setting the mug down. "Darling, my reply wasn't the first thing I said to you because that wasn't the first time I met you."

"No?"

"No. That was the first time _you_ noticed me. I first saw you at one of Del's parties…remember the ones he would throw on the beach? It wasn't one of his parties if there wasn't a bonfire." He nodded, their eyes locking as she slowly traversed the space between them. "Anyway, I hardly knew anyone there and the few people I did know avoided me because they were friends of AJ." Her face turned as she thought of the man expecting to meet her for brunch in less than an hour. She shook her head, slowly turning back to Gregory as she softly continued, "There I was: newly single and miserable. The wind kept blowing sand in my face, so I finally decided to leave." She smiled to herself, thinking back. "I was storming up the beach, not looking where I was going and I walked straight into you."

He stood quietly as she neared him, their hands brushing together. "You caught me," he heard her say, riveted as she chuckled. "Kept me from falling down." She reached out, threading her fingers tightly with his. Her chest brushed against his as he drew closer, her lips a breath away.

"Your arms went around me and I apologized," she continued, shivering the way she did all those years ago. "Oh, and Gregory, the way you looked at me…I thought I was going to die on the spot." His hands slipped from hers to go around her waist, locking her tightly in his embrace. "You smirked and said 'Don't be'…and then, you did it."

"Did what?" he murmured, one hand sneaking up to toy with the lapel of her robe and push it gently aside, revealing the enticing rise of her collarbone.

"Take my breath away." Her mouth tensed as the robe slipped from her shoulder. With burning eyes, she looked up at him as the muscles of her stomach tightened.

"So that was it?" The flesh of her shoulder glowed in the morning sunlight, unblemished and perfect. He heard her inhale sharply as he traced a path from the peak of her shoulder along the line of her collarbone to her neck.

"What was it?" she asked softly.

" 'I'm sorry'? That was the first thing you ever said to me?" She nodded and his finger went south, brushing the black pearls aside to rest in the hollow of her throat. That shallow dip had intrigued him for years.

"I had to say something. I'm lucky I managed _that_." She chuckled, a low sound from deep in her throat. "But, I could have said anything to you then because it wouldn't have mattered. You didn't want me until we met again in Bette's bedroom." Her blue eyes lit up, a grin curling her lips. "What was it you said to me that night?"

He smiled, knowing that she could've answered her own question as his hands danced up her neck to cup her face. She remembered _everything_. His fingers grazed her earlobes, drawing her in as he whispered, "That you were unattainable." His lips whispered against hers and she inhaled, Aphrodite in his embrace. "You didn't let me kiss you that night."

She shrugged, his hands falling to cup her hips. "Olivia tried very hard to be enticing. She wasn't always smart about it."

"Oh, she was," he replied softly, reaching to cup her bottom as he slowly pulled her against him. "Gregory couldn't think about anyone or anything but her for days."

She looked up sharply, the buckle of his belt pressing against her stomach. "But, it didn't matter, did it? Neither of them was smart in the end. They let it all go to hell."

"Maybe Gregory and Olivia are smarter now," he suggested hopefully, toying with the flimsy belt of her robe.

"Jaded is more like it."

He looked up sharply, an amused expression on his face. "Jaded, hmm? If Olivia watched _Casablanca_ right now, would it still make her cry?" She shrugged bashfully, her eyes turning up slowly as he loosened the belt and her robe fell open. "Just like it did all those years ago…"

Cool morning air hit her stomach, causing her flesh to pimple and she shivered. "When Olivia was twenty, she thought she knew it all," she sighed as he fell to his knees, nuzzling her stomach and kissing his way across her flesh.

He looked up slightly, drawn to the expanse of bare skin as his hands crept beneath the robe to find her hips. "When Olivia was twenty, she didn't smell like this, driving Gregory to distraction."

His teeth skimmed the edge of her panties and she gripped his shoulders. "When Olivia was twenty, Gregory always drove her to distraction."

He looked up, his hands on her hips as an intrigued smirk danced on his lips. "Is that so?"

"You know it's so."

"And now?"

She lowered her head, biting the corner of her lip as he hooked the hem of her panties with one finger and began to pull them down. "He's distracting me from meeting AJ."

He paused for a moment before he slowly began to pull the panties back up, causing her to groan softly. "Him. _Again_. After all these years," he sighed, looking up to meet her eyes. With unrelenting patience, he watched her silently, untapped heat radiating from the core of her soul. A flush rose in her neck, a tinge on her cheekbones. He held her hips, feeling her legs quiver against him. Her hands tightened on his shoulders and he finally smirked, knowing he could hold out just a bit longer than her. Barely. "Can he still move the hearts and minds of the ladies?"

She nearly cried out as he stood, his hands falling away from her. In an instant, she understood he wouldn't let her have brunch, or anything else, with AJ. Ever again. Every inch of distance between them became painfully apparent as he stepped back, wearing a wicked grin. Her eyes darkened as she realized he was going to make her beg. Make her scream _his_ name and forget she ever uttered another's. Until she saw the glimmer in his eyes, she didn't realize how much she wanted him to make her his again. Her bed had been cold and lonely for too many months. She slowly moved closer, her hand brushing against his belt buckle. "Other ladies maybe," she murmured, her fingers dancing across the cool metal.

He inhaled sharply, the clink of his belt echoing in the silence as she undid it. "But not you?" Spellbound, he watched her fingers separate the leather from the silver buckle. She tugged it free from the belt loops and dropped it unceremoniously on the floor. When her hands returned to undo the button of his pants, he swallowed hard and asked, "What about your heart and mind?"

She chuckled, slowly pulling his shirt free. "My heart and mind?" she asked, starting on the shirt's bottom buttons as he worked on the top ones. She kept her eyes low, intently focused on his shirt. "They're…elsewhere."

Their hands met in the middle of his shirt, only the last button between them and ecstasy. She traced the edge of it, trembling as he nudged her chin up. "Elsewhere?"

She bit the corner of her lip, freeing the last button. With his shirt now open, she reached out tentatively, splaying her palms on his bare chest. "With _someone_ else," she clarified in a hushed whisper as he drew her in.

"Mine too," he admitted as his arms went around her and their lips met.


	2. Let Me Come Home

(See the first chapter for disclaimer, notes, spoiler, etc.)

A/N: This chapter is rated Adult for sexual content.

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><p><em>In a million trillion years<br>When the stars all disappear  
>You and I will stay<br>And watch it all fade away_  
>- From "Fade Away (The Time &amp; Space Machine Mix)" by The Mummers<p>

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><p>"Mine too," Gregory admitted as his arms went around Olivia, their lips meeting. A cry echoed in her throat as he pulled her against him. Tasting her was to know heaven, sweet relief from the torture of lowly human existence. She was divine and he was ready to prostrate himself at her altar. He pushed the robe from her shoulders, the silk whispering as it fell from her body.<p>

Her eyes were bright, luminous as she pulled back, gasping. His hands followed the curve of her breasts and she bit her lip as he toyed with the flesh of her neck. She guided the shirt from his body, their naked chests pressed together. With a shiver, she came back to him, hungrily. He backed her into the writing desk, violently shoving the hyacinths aside as he sat her on the polished wood. He kicked off his shoes as she fumbled with the fly of his pants. Coming back to her and breathing hard, he ran his hand up the soft flesh of her thigh and up her waist. The silk panties rippled beneath his hands as he yanked them down, tossing them aside. They fluttered to the floor, landing amongst the scattered hyacinths as he stepped out of his pants.

She squirmed, wanting him everywhere at once. He reached out, taking her hips gently as she pulled him back to her lips. He chuckled against her, tasting desperation as her legs wound around his. Fingers dug into her hips as he kissed his way down her throat to her chest. She groaned, his lips insistent and searching as they found the underside of one breast. Her hips jumped, every sensation alive and tingling as she arched closer. She gripped his shoulders, her nails digging angry red crescents into his skin as tongue and teeth feasted on the swell of her breast.

"Gregory," she rasped, her hand running through his hair to cup the back of his head. He came back to her mouth with the kind of ferocity she had missed. She cried out, her lungs screaming for oxygen as she sank her teeth into his lip, tasting blood. He grunted, one hand reaching around her to pull her against him. His other hand skimmed her trembling body, cupping one aching breast in his palm. As he squeezed, the pressure steadily increasing, she ripped her mouth away from his, begging in his ear, "Now...I can't…"

He smirked, her impatient hands fighting with his boxers. His hands found her thighs, separating them roughly before burying himself within her. Pain mixed with her cry, her sapphire irises darkening as her nails tore across the skin of his back. She forced her eyes to his, cupping his face briefly before her arms went around her neck. He watched her for a long moment, fighting the urge to move against her until she nodded, a quick bob of her head. He buried his face in her neck, tasting her perfume as her legs tightened around his waist. Gently, he pulled away, thrusting into her with a tenth of the vigor he felt. Her mouth tightened as she turned her face into his with a breaking whisper, "Please… It's been too long."

Gregory looked up slowly, gazing intently. When he came back harder, she gasped with such intensity that her cry rang out in the suite. His arms went around her back, pulling her closer as their lips molded together. It was never like this with anyone but her, this all consuming need to have every ounce of her. He looked up, her panting echoing in his ears. The beauty of Olivia in that moment was a sight to behold. Her eyes blazing with passion, the blue clear and smoldering. Her lips, red and bruised as she moaned hungrily. Her hot breath on his neck as she clung to him, gasping his name. He panted against her, his lips forming her name as the breath quickened in her throat.

The edge of the desk dug into her, his arms around her as their hearts raced. He felt the shudder building from deep within her, hunger giving way to satisfaction. She cried out, arching her back as a thousand stars exploded in her vision. Convulsions washed over her, from the tips of her toes to her heaving chest. A moment later, her name was a moan on his lips as his heart thundered straight through his ribcage. If she was his damnation, he'd gladly surrender himself to the fires of Hell to keep her forever. He looked up slowly, a drop of sweat running down the side of his face. Gasping so hard, tears came to her eyes as she gazed up at him. He smiled gently, kissing her tenderly as sweat burned the small cut she left on his bottom lip. She cupped his face, drawing him in until the glorious weight of his body was against her.

A weightless fog enveloped her and she wondered briefly if it was all a dream, the cruel kind that ended with her waking alone. But his weight on her was real, his stilted breath warm against her throat. She wrapped her arms around him, her legs sliding down to hook lazily around his. He surrendered to her embrace, their hearts thundering in sync. He closed his eyes, resting against her as a warm peace danced through him. He was home.

She slowly ran her fingers through his hair, soaked through with sweat. She felt his lips kiss the base of her throat, his own breathing ragged. "I tried so hard to forget you," she whispered breathlessly. The empty suite stretched endless before her and she gazed off into the distance, its silence comforting and forgiving as it heard her confession. He took her hand, resting them entwined over her heart. "I even tried to convince myself I hated you. But, I couldn't. My heart wouldn't let me."

"It doesn't lie," he sighed, squeezing her hand, "even if we do."

She closed her eyes, thinking of the chubby tow-headed baby that was the biggest lie still between them. An uneasy knot twisted in the pit of her stomach and she shivered. "You're cold," she heard him say a moment before he pulled away. She was frozen, turned to stone as she felt him drape her robe around her body like a blanket. A moment later, he was back and drawing her against his flushed chest.

"Better?" he asked, rubbing her back. But, she was quiet, unmoving against him. He frowned, his hand coming to a stop in the middle of her back. "I tried to deny you too," he said softly, misunderstanding her sudden silence. "Blamed you for everything, even for what was beyond your control." He faltered, his chest tightening as regret settled in the pit of his stomach. "I never said I was sorry." She closed her eyes, a single tear curling around the bridge of her nose. "I am. I'm so sorry, Liv."

Her back shuddered beneath his hand and he reached for her chin, turning her face up slowly. "Stop," she whispered, her lips trembling. He shook his head, confused as he brushed her hair back. "I'm not-"

"You're not what?" he asked after a long moment.

She shook her head, lowering her face as he hugged her against him. The truth rose in her throat, four little words that would change everything as they knew it. Their daughter would hate her for taking the baby away. He would hate her if he turned out not to be the child's father, like he thought. The way she prayed he was. Her throat tightened around a rock of emotion, bringing tears to her eyes. "I-"

He cocked his head, his face wrinkled in a frown. "What?" She shook her head violently, her lip caught in her teeth. "Sweetheart, tell me."

She closed her eyes, biting back a sob and she felt him cup her chin. Her heart thundered and a low hum filled her ears as he watched her with concerned eyes. His shoulders fell and he sighed deeply, placing his hands on either side of her head. "I…can't-" she gasped, leaning away from him even as he stared intently into her eyes.

"Olivia, look at me." She turned her eyes up slowly, shivering as he cupped her head. "Whatever you think you did…" he began slowly as she shuddered, unable to stop the terrified moan from rising in her throat. His face fell and he looked down, sighing before coming back to her. "I forgive you," he whispered simply, leaning his forehead against hers.

The wind couldn't have been knocked out of her body quicker than if someone punched her in the gut. She froze, his hands falling down to her shoulders and then her arms. "I forgive you," she heard him repeat as a block of ice settled in her stomach. "I don't care what it is. I just-" Her eyes flew up to his, in time to see vulnerable hope in his eyes. He took her hand, his palm warm against hers as he squeezed it. "You're my heart. My home."

He moved their joined hands over his inflamed heart, his own eyes shining as he concluded, "I want to come home." Her face crumpled, her head shaking slowly as he drew her against him. He sighed, listening to her sob quietly, her tears on his bare chest. "Let me come home."

Her head flew up, tears streaking down her flushed face. "How can you love me?" she hissed. "We made an art out of making each other miserable for over twenty years!"

He touched her face, brushing away the tears. "Because we're a part of each other. You can't look at me and tell me you've felt whole these last few months."

"We. Are. Toxic," she insisted, her eyes blurring with unshed tears as she ignored his declaration. "We ruined everything we touched: each other, our marriage, our children-"

"You can't have all of that without the love we had." Her mouth set and he gripped her shoulders, pleading with her. "We make love. We fight. We live. We scream," he insisted as she grimaced and shook her head, "But we have _always_ loved each other. Even when I hated you-" Her eyes fell and he shook her gently, getting her attention. "Even when I hated you," he continued, his voice cracking, "I still loved you. More than life."

"But I told you," she cried, her eyes wide, "love wasn't our problem. Love isn't enough!"

"You love me." Her eyes flickered away from his and he smiled, seizing the glimmer of hope. "I know you do."

"Gregory-"

"You do."

She sighed, a deep exhalation as he squeezed her shoulders. "Of course I do." He smiled proudly, his brown eyes shining. "You've been my life for twenty-five years. I've lost track of where I end and you begin."

He reached out, taking her hand and pressing it over his heart as his hand rested over hers. "Here," he whispered. "We're here." His heart beat strongly, thundering against his ribcage. "This is all we need."

She started to shake her head, an argument on her lips. "I-"

"Come home, Liv." She looked up sharply, his lips a breath away from hers as he whispered, "Come home."

Olivia closed her eyes, surrendering to his warm embrace and hopeful kiss. A thousand rebukes swirled in her mind, but only one reason to go home to him. And that was the simple fact that she loved him more than she could describe to herself or anyone else. And, maybe love wasn't enough. But, it was a start.

"Stay with me," he murmured against her ear, hugging her close.

She rested her chin on his shoulder, their cheeks pressed together. "For how long?"

He shrugged, his brown eyes glazed over with the peace of fulfillment. "Forever."

A tiny smile lit up her face as she sighed, "Forever doesn't exist."

With a sigh, he leaned up. Her hair pooled around her shoulders, sweat induced dark waves that contrasted with her sapphire eyes and alabaster skin. "Then, stay until it fades away."

She nodded gently, leaning against him as his arms went around her. "I'll love you until it fades away," she whispered, closing her eyes.

He would've missed her soft promise had her lips not been dangerously close to his ear. He closed his eyes, knowing that he didn't deserve the woman in his arms or her love. But, he held her close, fully knowing the torture that awaited him if he let her go again. He looked down, smiling as he began to whisper, "I lo-"

Furious pounding at the door drowned out the rest of his words, echoing throughout the suite. They looked up in the direction of the cacophony before turning back to each other. "_Olivia! Open up damnit!"_

Annie. Gregory sighed, stepping back from the writing desk as Olivia slid off it. Her mouth was set in a grim line as she put her arms through the sleeves, pulling the robe around her as she tied the belt. She turned to him, finding him stepping into his pants and shrugging into his shirt, a flash of silk before he shoved her discarded panties in his pocket. "Go," she said quickly, pushing him in the direction of the bedroom as she kicked his shoes beneath the sofa.

"I'm divorcing her," he reminded her, turning to face her as his current wife beat on the door of his ex-wife's hotel suite. "We don't have to hide."

"I know," she sighed, tugging him into the bedroom. "But I'm not particularly in the mood for that battle. Not today. Not after…" she shrugged, gesturing weakly between them.

He caught her hand in mid-air, squeezing it gently. "I love you," he finally whispered, bringing the barest of smiles to her face. He reached out, fingering her hair as she closed her eyes, a sacred moment in the unexpected chaos. "Get rid of her."

She nodded, a grin curling her lips as he kissed her quickly. The door to the bedroom closed behind her as she hurried to the front door, smoothing her hair down. She hesitated, rolling her eyes as she reached for the handle and flung open the door. "Do you have any idea what time it is?" she asked, knocked aside as the younger woman bulldozed her way in.

"Late enough!" she snapped, stalking through the suite. "Where's Gregory? GREGORY!"

"Are you insane? Why would he be here?"

"Oh, why wouldn't he!" Annie paced around the living room, barely glancing at the broken vase and flowers littering the floor next to the writing desk. "Fall off the wagon and try to trash the place?"

Olivia followed her gaze, blushing deeply as she drew the lapels of her robe together. From the corner of her eye, she saw the bedroom door creak open slightly, his shadow appearing in the crack. Gregory watched her frown, the flash of her eyes and the slight tilt of her head saying _Let me handle this_ before she glanced back at the younger woman. "What do you want, Annie?" she asked, ignoring the dig.

"Like you don't know!" She watched her shrug, the ivory robe glowing in the morning sunlight. "I'm sure it's all over town by now!"

"What?"

"Gregory's divorcing me!" She screamed in frustration, angry fists flying against her thighs as she stomped her foot. She missed seeing Olivia's smirk, the satisfaction quickly hidden by disinterest as she shrugged again.

"And this interests me why?"

"That bastard took everything from me- from _us_!" Olivia's eyes narrowed as she continued, "He stole my Liberty Stocks and the damn pre-nup leaves me hardly anything!"

From the bedroom, Gregory smirked, leaning against the wall as he listened. He knew it was only a matter of time before the divorce papers sent her scrambling to check the fine print of the pre-nuptial agreement. "You didn't read it first?" he heard Olivia ask, amusement ringing in her question.

"Read it? He barely gave me time to sign it!" She kicked the table in frustration, wincing when a sharp pain shot up her leg. "It leaves me with nothing! The paper said that I signed over my stocks to him as part of the agreement and that I only get a million dollars for every year we were married."

"Hmm." Olivia nodded, quickly doing the math in her head. "So after barely four months of marriage that leaves you…just over a quarter of a million dollars? Give or take."

"Bitch! My lawyer already told me that! It's nothing! NOTHING!"

"Well," she sighed, taking on a dismissive air, "that's not really nothing-"

"We could get together and sue him!" Annie exploded. "Sue him for neglect, emotional something-or-other, blah-blah-blah. We could take him for everything!"

She forced a smirk to her face and it disappeared as quickly as it appeared. "I don't think so."

"Oh, come on! We were used and abused by Gregory Richards and left with nothing! We deserve better than that!"

Gregory smiled, anticipating the pleasure in Olivia's voice before he heard it. "Well, I wasn't left with _nothing_, exactly."

The other woman stopped short, her eyes flickering over the first Mrs. Richards. "You had a better pre-nup?" she asked enviously.

She turned slowly, her eyes shining as she arched her eyebrow and clarified, "When I married Gregory, he didn't ask me to sign a pre-nup."

He would've given anything to see the look on Annie's face when Olivia delivered that blow. The sudden silence intrigued him and he peered through the crack in the door, watching as Annie trembled with unspoken rage. "So, you see, Annie _dear_, I really can't do anything for you," he heard her say.

Annie spun on her, her eyes blazing as she stalked furiously around the suite, nearing the bedroom. "You can. Talk to Gregory! Get him to reconsider a new divorce settlement. A proper one that I deserve."

"Oh, I think that you've already gotten the one you _deserve_," she snapped. The younger woman glared, her face flushing in anger. "Besides, what makes you think I have any influence on Gregory anymore?" she asked, drawing Annie further into the living room and away from the bedroom. "We're divorced."

"Please," she scoffed, "I'm not an idiot. I saw the way he looked at you after the fiasco in the elevator! He'll be sniffing around any day now." Olivia lowered her eyes, thinking that Gregory had grossly underestimated his soon-to-be ex-wife. "You know, I should probably warn AJ."

"Don't be ridiculous," she said quickly, blushing as she detected a trace of his scent clinging to her robe. She reached out to lead Annie in the direction of the front door, giving her a not so gentle nudge. "You really should go. I don't think I can help you."

"Oh, you'll help me," Annie growled, grabbing the other woman's arm with an iron hand. "Otherwise, poor Caitlin will find out who her little brat's real parents are!" She smirked triumphantly as Olivia's face contorted and paled considerably.

She looked past Annie, watching as the bedroom door opened slowly. A moment later, Gregory stepped out and a sick feeling rose in her throat when she saw his face. In an instant, he had figured it out. He knew the truth. The room spun as he neared them, silently advancing on Annie like a shark. "Wait," she said weakly, seeing the deadly fury brimming in his eyes. "Stop."

"No, you stop!" Annie snapped, unaware of the approaching danger. "Help me now and I'll make sure that Caitlin and Trey never knows that you and-"

"She's lying!" she cried desperately, her blue eyes widening as Gregory's hand clamped down on Annie's shoulder. The red head gasped as he wrenched her around, gripping the flimsy material of her shirt in his tense fists. It was too soon, she thought as her stomach churned. They weren't even healed yet. "Gregory-"

"Trey is our son," he said flatly, his mind working. All the unexplained events and the too many coincidences of the last eight months came together with the blinding clarity of a supernova. Annie cried out, struggling against him as Olivia seemingly withered into herself, her hands on her cheeks. "You stole him."

She shook her head furiously, her red hair flying out around her head. "No, Gregory," she gasped, scratching at the backs of his hands to be free. "You don't understand. I-"

"You _kidnapped_ him from his mother and I the day he was born," he spat out, throwing her shirt away only to grip her shoulders. Darkness bled in from the corners of his vision, honing in on her as he shook her so violently her teeth clicked together. Rage coursed through his veins, his blood boiling as she whimpered. She manipulated him. She robbed him of his chance to right the wrongs of his past. She made him think his son was dead and that the woman he loved more than life itself was the reason why. "My _son_, Annie," he growled, finding his way to her neck.

Fear finally entered her eyes as his hands locked around her throat, the pressure increasing. "Gre-" she croaked, tears of fright spilling from her eyes. "Don't-"

"You don't deserve my mercy," he said softly, her neck throbbing beneath his hands. "You showed none to my wife and son."

_My wife and son_. Olivia looked up slowly, standing in the middle of ground zero. Her heart pounded in her chest, the sound of blood rushing in her ears. As her vision cleared, she saw Gregory, manic with his hands around Annie's neck. She reached out, touching his shoulder gently. His head spun around as if her touch burned him. A moment passed and his eyes softened, the anger subsiding as she whispered his name. Her face was sickly pale and she trembled, watching as his hands loosened. "Get out," he hissed, shoving Annie away.

The younger woman cried out as she stumbled back, crashing into one of the end tables. She was crying now, her mascara running as she touched her neck. "Gre-"

"_Now_!" he roared, advancing on her. She turned and fled, the front door of the suite slamming shut behind her a second later. The sudden silence was deafening and he looked down, his hands trembling with rage. Their son was alive. _Alive_.

Olivia.

He turned and found her with her back to him, standing by the writing desk. Carefully, he made his way to her, the white silk robe fluttering as her whole body shook. "Liv," he whispered. She inhaled sharply, but did nothing else to acknowledge his presence. She wouldn't even look at him. "You knew," he said quietly, a statement more than a question. A sob rose in her throat as she shook her head, her chest heaving. He frowned, watching as she unraveled before him. The agony that so haunted her, the one she could barely speak of earlier was finally unmasked. "Please, tell me."

Her head continued to shake and she gripped the edge of the table. "She's lying," she insisted, her knuckles turning ice white. "Our son is de-"

"Alive," he interrupted, reaching for her shoulders and gently turning her to him. Her chin trembled, her eyes shiny with unshed tears. "He's alive. Trey is our-"

"Grandson."

Gregory shook his head as she choked back a sob. "Trey is _our_ son. Annie stole him from us." There was a woman in the cabin, just like she claimed. _But Darling, I heard him cry_, she had insisted tearfully, gripping his hands as they sat on the nursery floor. She had told the truth, maintaining it even when he told her none of it was possible. When he told her she was lying. When he told her she had been drunk. When he told her she was to blame for their son's death. He betrayed her in every way possible and then he took their son's kidnapper as his wife.

"No," she said weakly, her eyes dancing wildly in their sockets.

"You were right, Sweetheart," he admitted, taking her shaking body in his arms. "All this time, you tried to tell me and I didn't believe you." He kissed her forehead, encircling her as she began to cry. "I didn't believe you," he repeated in a whisper, closing his eyes as he buried his face in her hair.

She sobbed into his chest, gripping his unbuttoned shirt as he ran his hand over her head. Her throat burned, already raw as the anguish of the last eight months finally broke free. His arms tightened around her and she felt his chest shudder. He so infrequently let her see him cry that the rare occasions when he did frightened her. She looked up, gulping back a sob as she reached for him. Her fingers wiped his tears away, cupping his face in her hands. "I didn't believe _me_," she whispered, his face falling as she finally admitted the truth.

"I- I should've known he was ours," he said, his voice cracking. She shook her head slowly, already absolving him of his sins. Her eyes were wide, filled with sorrow as tears ran down her face. "I should have known."

She shook her head as he reached for her hands, squeezing gently. "The truth is too painful," she sighed as he held her hands against his chest. "It was easier to believe the lie."

"Caitlin lied." He shook his head, his mind reeling as the smoke screen came crashing down. "She lied to everyone. About everything."

Olivia's face fell, her tears coming faster. "It's our fault." She lowered her head, weeping as she cried, "She lost her baby in the car accident. When she found out about _our_ sick plan." Her hysteria reached a fevered pitch and he reached for her as she regained the color in her face at an alarming rate. "We killed her baby, so Annie gave her ours!"

He frowned at the fractured logic, knowing that her fervent belief in karma made her believe this torture was just and deserved. "We'll get him back," he began and her head flew up.

"No! Gregory, we can't take him from her!" she cried, gripping his hands. "It will _kill_ Caitlin!"

He shook his head firmly, reaching again for her face and looking deep into her bloodshot eyes. "Liv, he's ours. We made him and he belongs with us." She shook her head and he sighed. "It _will_ be hard on Caitlin," he conceded as fresh tears fell from her eyes. "She loves him and she's raised him for the last eight months, but he belongs with his parents. His _real_ parents. She'll understand that, once she knows the truth."

"No, Gregory! It's going to rip her heart out!"

Her words spilled manically from her mouth and he shook his head, drawing her against his chest. It was all too much for her, he realized as he hugged her close. "We'll get her help," he explained softly. "And, one day, she and Cole will have another baby and-"

"She can't," she murmured, closing her burning eyes. "The accident- she was too badly injured." She looked up sadly, finding him finally quiet. "Trey is the only child she will ever have. If we take him away, it will be like losing her baby all over again." She shook her head as he frowned. "I won't put her through that pain again. I can't…not after everything we've already done to her."

He sighed, hugging her close and not able to answer. She continued to cry, his shirt twisted and wrinkled in her grip. Everything was too raw. He closed his eyes, his own head swimming with the enormity of Annie's inadvertent bombshell. There would be no easy fix, no happy solution. The time for hard decisions would be later. For now, he could fix her. With a sigh, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. "I think I need to lay down," he lied as she sniffled. "Come with me?" She slumped against him, barely nodding as he led her into the bedroom.

She climbed into the bed, lying in the middle as he got in next to her. Instinctively, she curled against him as he pulled the sheets up. Her tears lessened, but were still there, twisting his heart with her sorrow. "Just rest," he murmured. "I'll fix this."

Olivia heard his determination and knew his love for their daughter wouldn't stop him from taking the baby back. "Promise me," she sighed, her arm stretched across his chest. She looked up, her eyes heavy. His eyes were hard and she shivered, whispering, "Don't punish Caity. She doesn't know he's ours."

He kissed her head, hushing her as he rubbed her arm. "Close your eyes," he whispered, resting his chin on her head. Her breathing was stilted, mirroring the thoughts running through his head. There would need to be a DNA test to prove they were his parents. The police and courts had to be involved for when he had Annie arrested. And, somehow they had to explain to Caitlin that the child she was raising was really her brother.

A headache burned his eyes and he turned against her, surrendering to the warmth of her arms. She continued to cry, sporadic patches of her tears dampening his shirt. "I'm here," he murmured, his hands combing through her hair as he kissed her forehead.

She shook her head, her misery crystallizing in a sigh. "Caitlin hates us for what we did to her. She's never going to forgive us for taking either baby away."

"We didn't give our son up," he whispered as she shuddered against him. "He was stolen." He closed his eyes, giving into the soft fragrance of her hair. How had she dealt with this alone for so long? He could barely stomach it and he had known for less than an hour. Reaching out, he tucked the covers around her body as she trembled against him. "Our son is alive," he reminded her, opening his eyes in time to see her watery smile. "Alive…and he's coming home." 

THE END


End file.
